Mardi Gras Parade Preps And Shuttle Service

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ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) - The Mardi Gras Grand Parade is Saturday morning. But organizers warn you to start planning now if you want to be part of the party this weekend.

A lot of people are letting loose before Lent, but there are some things you need to know before you go to the parade.

The parade steps off at 11:00 a.m. Saturday from 7th Street and Cerre, just south of Busch Stadium. The Krewes will go south on 7th to Choteau, then head east on Choteau to Broadway. They'll head south on Broadway to the 7th Street merge then south on Broadway. The Parade will end on Sidney.

Thousands of people packed the streets from Downtown to Soulard last year. The ones determined to be stress free took Metrolink, because police close many streets in the Soulard neighborhood. This year, Marion, Shenandoah, Broadway, Ann, 6th Street, and Clark will all be closed near the parade route.

The entire parade route will be closed until Sunday evening.

Metro Transit officials say they will offer a special Mardi Gras Shuttle to get people in and out of Soulard. It will run every 15 minutes from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. You have to buy a special ticket, but you get a commemorative lanyard and a coupon for a tram ride at the Gateway Arch.

It all only costs $5 for a roundtrip ticket. That’s much cheaper than the couple hundred it would cost to get a car out of a tow yard.

We have links for everything you need to know before you go to the parade.